The U-PLAY collection is know for it’s interchangeable parts and unique design. The owner can mix and match most parts to make the watch their own. The bezel and straps can be interchanged depending on the occasion or attire being worn. This is one of the many great attributes this GUCCI Watch collection offers.
GUCCI Watches has gone back in time with this collection. The interchangeable bezel was once all the rave in watches, and the elegant GUCCI has brought it back into style. The U-PLAY collection is one of the most intriguing and fun lines that GUCCI Watches offer.
The watch was designed by GUCCI creative director Frida Gianni. The watch comes with a red Guccissima leather strap, with the iconic double “G” pattern appearing throughout. The double “G” also appears on the inside of the strap, giving the entire band an authentic GUCCI look. The bezel is set with the GUCCI signature markings and encased by a bold red outline. The double “G” dial is stainless steel and shines brightly with the the marking of “GUCCI” at 12 O’clock. The “Swiss Made” marking is at 6 O’clock to let the owner know the fine quality of craftsmanship that went into the watch. The hands are slim and tapered, elegant enough for any wrist. The watch is run by reliable Swiss quartz movement and is waterproof for up to 30 meters.
Of course the strap and bezel can be changed at any time, but the red is suitable for a Valentine’s Day gift. The bright red throughout the watch complements the stainless steel dial and will bring a smile to anyone’s face. The gift is perfect for anyone looking to show their love and passion for those most important in their lives.
The watch offers the best in quality and style for a great price. GUCCI Watches has been producing amazing timepieces for some time and this U-PLAY watch collection is no exception. With the versatility and well made craftsmanship you expect from GUCCI, this U-PLAY collection Valentine’s Day watch will become an important piece in anyone’s ensembles.

On February 12th, 2012, the 54th annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles. The Grammy Award is an accolade given by the National Artists and Scientists of the United States to honor achievement in the music industry. One way that the Grammys celebrates the music industry is through their partnership with Gucci Watches, a brand well-liked by many within the industry. Gucci has developed a special edition watch and jewelry collection in honor of this partnership.

Gucci, officially known as The House of Gucci, is a high end Italian fashion and leather goods label. Part of the Gucci Group owned by the French company PPR, Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. The company consistently generates a lot of revenue; in 2009 Gucci was 41st on “BusinessWeek’s” annual “Top Global 100 Brands” lists. In addition the company is the biggest selling Italian brand.

The first Grammy Awards was held on May 4, 1959. For the 2012 Awards, there are 78 categories in which artists can be nominated. Works that were produced between September 1, 2010, and September 30, 2011 are eligible for this year’s Grammy Awards.

Gucci's special edition Grammy watch, the I-GUCCI

The Gucci Grammy Special Edition watch was designed by Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini. This special edition watch is unique in that it is Gucci’s first-ever digital timepiece. Named the I-GUCCI, the watch features the ability to show either two time zones or switch to showing digital hands with the local time. The watch comes with a special tag commemorating the Grammy partnership, as well as featuring the Grammy logo on the strap. The partnership between Gucci and the Grammy Awards is a three-year one, and continues Gucci’s commitment to the preservation of the arts that started with the brand’s partnership with Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation. The partnership with the Grammy Awards will support the programs of the Grammy Museum.

If you are a music aficionado who is looking to purchase a new timepiece, Gucci and the Grammy Awards have made it easy to support both industries. With the special edition I-GUCCI, you get both a high-end, fashionable watch that also supports the preservation of the music industry.

Gucci's Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund

Jan. 10 in Hangzhou, China marked the launch of Gucci’s “Timepieces and Jewelry Music Fund” at the Hangzhou Grand Theater. The VIP guests and the media were very excited to attend the event. The Timepieces and Jewelry Music Fund’s main goal is to discover  and teach extraordinary musicians around China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. The fund provides these musicians with scholarships as well as offering a music exchange program that works with their partners, The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY® Awards. This outstanding partnership has come a far way from just declaring business together in 2010. Exchange students also are given the chance to attend GRAMMY® Camps located in Los Angeles and New York. This program has helped many young musicians improve greatly that maybe would have never had the chance to do so because of things like money and opportunity.

It is no doubt that special events attract very special people. The spectacular guest who was the talk of the night was the famous movie star, Ms. Li Bing Bing. She caught everyone’s attention when she walked in dressed as a fashion Gucci Goddess wearing a Horsebit necklace and a Gucci crêpe de chine two layer skirt dress. An excellent performance was also put on during the evening by three outstanding awarded students from the Central Conservatory of Music, a very special opportunity for the students.

Gucci also supports The Film Foundation. Martin Scorsese created this non-profit organization to work on presenting and restoring influential and groundbreaking films. The Gucci-GRAMMY collaboration aids the programs of the GRAMMY®  Museum which focuses on preserving historical significant recording and moments from our world’s musical cultural heritage.

Gucci sticks true to its artsy origin by picking music, film and other art programs to focus their support on. It is a great cause and Gucci has many happy supporters from designing these programs. It is extremely important that we continue to grow in the arts and continue to improve and advance. Gucci makes this possible for the best of the best and the most deserving. It will be interesting to see which future art groups Gucci will focus their time and effort on.

Gucci helps give musical opportunities to Chinese students

Gucci isn’t all about exquisite watches and beautiful clothing. This year, the high fashion giant has started its year out on the right foot: one of giving. In collaboration with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, The GRAMMY Awards and The Recording Academy,  Gucci launched the Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund in order to “discover and nurture talented musicians across China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.”

Gucci is no stranger to supporting the arts. In fact, the brand has shown its dedication with their longstanding support of director Martin Scorcese’s The Film Foundation, a non-profit that aims to restore and present groundbreaking and influential films. In the realm of music, according to Gucci’s website, the Gucci-GRAMMY initiative– founded in 2010– “help[s] to preserve historically significant moments and recordings from our global musical heritage.”

With the  Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund, Gucci will be helping to give Chinese music students increased opportunities to hone their craft. Exceptional students, as judged by the Fund, will have the opportunity of traveling to the United States to participate in GRAMMY programs, like the GRAMMY Camp, that could help launch their careers. Beyond the music, the opportunity to travel to the U.S. will provide Chinese students with a wonderful chance for enriching cultural exchange, another primary goal of the Fund.

One of Gucci’s partners in this venture, the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, has quite a bit of influence in China– and around the world. The organization, started in honor of the late Honorary President of the People’s Republic of China Soong Ching Ling, is dedicated to a number of positive social ventures that range from promoting international friendships to alleviating poverty to promoting the arts and sciences. With Gucci, The GRAMMY Awards, and The Recording Academy at their side, there is little doubt that the foundation will continue to spread its good deeds to many people in need.

The Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund was launched at an elegant event in Hangzhou, China at the Hangzhou Theatre, where a number of VIP guests, including press, were welcomed for an evening of entertainment and the official unveiling of the project. Popular international movie star Li Bing Bing attended the event wearing several Gucci pieces, and students from some of China’s most prestigious music academies provided the entertainment for the evening.

In case you missed it during the holiday rush, Gucci, the high-end fashion brand well known for its handbags and luxury watches, released a new app last month—the special addition GUCCI STYLE, a downloadable magazine that lets you browse, screen shop, and actually purchase Gucci items via your iPhone or iPad.

A selection of watches by Gucci.

As customer consumption has transitioned from malls and magazines to desktops and laptops, many high-end fashion companies and publications have been forced to become acquainted to the World Wide Web. In order to reach their customers more directly, designers have adapted to a new marketing design that largely concentrates on online content. Reaching target audiences has necessitated company websites, web advertising, and online shopping capabilities in lieu of print advertisements and catalogs. More recently, as people have become more dependent on the quick and easy, digital presence has become even more essential for companies to connect with consumers; apps. The introduction of mobile apps have dominated the branding pursuits of companies in every industry, to the point that their existence in the fashion world is not just a tech savvy accessory, but a necessity.

A screenshot of the latest edition of the GUCCI STYLE app.

One of the leading companies to get on board with the trend is Gucci, well known to be the biggest selling Italian brand due to the popularity of its clothing, timepieces, and handbags among high income consumers. Their latest app, compatible with the iPad, iPhone, and iTouch, was released in December, presenting the next necessity for luxury franchises—an app that not only showcases the latest trends, but allows users to purchase items right from the mobile store.

Sections of the magazine include:

• Gold Rush, a display of cocktail looks for women

• A Formal Affair, sophisticated looks for men

• Objects of Desire, a gifts section

• City of Angels, a travel guide to Los Angeles

• Art + Film, a Gucci celebration of the moving image

• Black Diamonds, “girl’s new best friend”

• The Playlist, songs shared by creative director Frida Giannini

• Made to Measure, a personal tailoring area, and

• James Franco, an interactive interview with the actor/director/artist

Within the sections of this table of contents come features such as photos, videos, and written description of Gucci’s new men’s and women’s collections.

The GUCCI STYLE app comes with the usual finesse, equipped with elegant photography and the latest releases.  However, what sets this app apart is not just its informative display, but its usefulness. The app has inspired positive reactions on fashion blogs, as well as received a majority of 5-star ratings from downloaders on the iTunes store. A concluding likeable quality of this special edition app is that it is free of charge, so Gucci fans are able to take advantage of this “shoppable magazine” with payment or hassle. All in all, GUCCI STYLE seems to be a helpful hand, and a good find for fashion fans.

Among the sea of music award shows in existence today, the Grammy awards are considered to be the best of the best with their Album of the Year award being one of the most prestigious awards to be given to an artist. The Grammy awards sets itself apart from the other reward shows as it is presented by The Recording Academy and does not award artists based on sales or their position on music charts but artistic achievement instead.

The actual Grammy award is a small, gold gramophone which is instantly recognizable. The same could be said for the classic Gucci logo with the interlocked double G as well as the eye-catching red and green stripes inspired by traditional saddle girths that can be seen on many of their leather goods and accessories. Gucci epitomizes the luxurious and glamorous lifestyle with their gorgeous leather luggage and handbags as well as jewelry and apparel. The classic Gucci handbag could be considered the quintessential high-end lifestyle accessory. The same could be said for Gucci watches as they appear quite different from traditional luxury watchmakers. Gucci combines fashion and style with each of their timepieces making their watches an accessory and a timekeeping tool.

Gucci and Grammy: A Timeless Collaboration

Although each organization belongs to two very distinct and separate categories in the world, the two companies actually share some common ground. Both the Grammy awards and Gucci have been at the top of their respective industries for over 50 years and counting. The two companies are both philanthropic with both parties deeply involved in charities. In 2011, there was a rare musical treasure found in a warehouse that housed thousands of hours of undiscovered musical recordings. Gucci teamed up with the Recording Academy to help preserve these recordings and digitize them for a later release for the public to enjoy.

Limited edition Gucci Grammy timepieces and dog tags

Another big milestone alliance between the two parties was the announcement of a limited three-year partnership between Gucci and the Grammy Awards. There was an exclusive I-Gucci watch as well as a line of special jewelry created to commemorate this partnership. The I-Gucci watch is Gucci’s first digital watch which can change looks instantly from a two time zone dial with enlarged numerals to a more streamlined and discreet version with digital hands showing the local time only. The rubber strap bears the famous gramophone along with the double G logos. Gucci reports that the edgy look of the watch was inspired by music itself. Perhaps Gucci took a  cue from composer Aaron Copeland in their design when he said “To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.”

Gucci has long been known as a company at the forefront of high fashion, taste and class. Simply saying the name Gucci instantly evokes thoughts of what it means to be fashionable. Not only does Gucci strive to create the finest jewelry, watches, and other fashion products but Gucci is also committed to raising awareness about sustainability and becoming more eco conscious and eco friendly. Through their Sustainability Design Contest, Gucci displays powerfully their commitment.

In conjunction with the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) and the Ever Manifesto, Gucci announced the winner of the contest. The talented young designers from IFM were challenged to take inspiration from Gucci’s Bamboo bag and apply the philosophy of minimum environmental impact in their designs. They were asked to include the values of appeal, innovation, and authenticity that the Gucci brand was built on for their continued success through time.

The winning design, the Ever Manifesto Bamboo Bag

The winner of the sustainability design contest was Laura Popoviciu. Popviciu designed a handbag with an origami like design made from recycled cotton, lined with bamboo linen and sporting bamboo handles. The design requires little cutting and cuts down construction time partially because of the design of the corners that are fastened together with snaps. This winning design, called the “Ever Manifesto Bamboo Bag,” is now produced by Gucci as a coveted limited edition series only available at Gucci boutiques in New York, Paris, Rome, London and Tokyo as well as online on Gucci’s website.

Ever Manifesto conceived the sustainability contest with the aims of promoting initiatives inspired by “green vision” within the design, fashion, and architecture industries to raise awareness about the environment and how this awareness can be applied to all types of industries. Even the fashion industry can create beautiful, simple yet intricate designs to promote a more environmental consciousness.

Ever Manifesto invited Stefano Tonchi, the Editor in Chief of W Magazine, to be the guest editor of their special edition of their magazine called, “Ever Bamboo.” This was sponsored completely by Gucci and printed on recycled paper and even making use of a bamboo paper cover taking their green mission to the fullest extent possible. Within its 50 pages, the publication explores the many people who support using bamboo throughout fashion, architecture, design, gardening, the arts, food, and ultimately, culture.

Gucci’s support of these kinds of awareness campaigns proves that all industries can get behind becoming more eco conscious in their products and still put out a product that is coveted. Gucci is world renowned for its products and has a wide reach with these kinds of campaigns.

GIft the Gucci Watches Horsebit 103

For this Christmas, think out of the box…out of the tradition, and give a beautiful designer watch.  You can’t afford it, you say.  I’m here to tell you that you can.  Gucci watches offer many affordable and stylish creations.  Take the 103 Horsebit, by Gucci for example.  The Horsebit watches feature an uncommon design that will stand out.  They are chic and some may even describe them as artistic.

One of the more moderately priced models is the Gucci Watches 103 Horsebit Women’s # YA103506.  This is a Swiss Quartz watch, which is crafted from strong stainless-steel.  The case, as well as bracelet are steel and the bracelet features a beautiful jewelry clasp.  Gucci has placed a scratch resistant sapphire crystal on the watch and presented the dial in silver.  The Gucci Watches 103 Horsebit Women’s # YA103506 is water resistant to 30 meters, and carries a 24 month manufacturer’s warranty.

The high quality of this women’s watch will ensure accurate and precise timekeeping for many years, but I’ll bet it’s the styling that grabs your attention.  The Horsebit design has been part of the Gucci collection for a long time, and is one of the most recognizable forms.

The Gucci Watches 103 Horsebit Women’s # YA103506 can be yours for under $600.

Love That Gucci "G"

It’s easy to fall for Gucci designs; the hard part is choosing the right Gucci watch for you.  With over 24 different collections to pick from, finding your perfect timepiece is just a matter of taste.  Gucci men’s watches are luxurious and emit an air of refinement.  Gucci didn’t become the largest selling Italian watch maker for no reason.  They possess distinct style, which is hard to resist.  The 100G series for men is a bold and sophisticated line of timepieces.  The Gucci 100G comes in various versions, each with the large signature “G” shaped dial.  One model I find particularly impressive is the men’s 100G model YA100306.  It is presented in a commanding size, and has that trademark Gucci styling.  This men’s watch is a Swiss Quartz model, made with all Swiss components.  It features a silver dial and stainless-steel case.  The 100G is fitted with a scratch resistant sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 99 feet.  The dial is accented by silver Roman numeral markings.  Gucci has made a name for themselves by creating iconic designs, which will stand the test of time; the 100G is one of those eternal looks.  Always classic and chic…that’s Gucci.

Gucci Men's Pantheon, Stylish and Sophisticated

Guccio Gucci can be credited with building a brand name, which is synonymous with luxury and opulence.  The timepieces they create have a timeless appeal about them, and are true to the Italian designer’s reputation.   The men’s Pantheon 115 happens to be the perfect watch for a contemporary man, with exceptional style.  It is a Gucci self winding Swiss automatic watch.  It features a solver dial, with the Gucci Automatic logo at the 3 o’clock setting.  The dial, case, and bezel are all crafted of solid steel, polished to a shiny finish.  This Pantheon 115 model is equipped with a scratch resistant sapphire crystal, and is water resistant to 50 meters.  Gucci designers have paired this steel watch with a brown alligator leather strap, which features a pin and buckle closure.  Gucci standards of quality are well respected in the industry.  They have been making fine watches since 1921, and have gained the reputation of being the number one seller of Italian watches.  This week, the Gucci 115 Pantheon men’s watch, model YA115204 is on sale for $854.00, with free shipping.  Check out all the great Gucci deals at watchesonnet.